anniestore2010 on eBay: Arachnis flos-aeris
 

Arachnis flos-aeris is the first orchid I saw blooming that wasn't growing in a pot. It grows somewhat like Vanilla, a vine scrambling through trees in the tropics. It's a plant that requires being warm to hot all year, and doesn't tolerate cool spells.

When I was 9 my family visited Miami to see some of my grandparent's friends, who had retired there. We visited a lot of the Florida family owned tourist attractions, many of which are no longer there. Among them was Orchid Jungle. I still remember the flowers on this plant, dangling from a tree in dappled shade. It was extremely fragrant, a lot like incense. Before this I had seen Cattleya and Cymbidium corsages on ladies, a Den. phal hybrid used as a plate garnish at Trader Vic's restaurant, and pink and white Phalaenopsis at the Mitchell Domes botanical garden in Milwaukee. Arach. flos-aeris convinced me I wanted to grow orchids.

I've never had one. It's hard to ship a vine. So when I saw a small rooted cutting for sale, I bought it. It still hasn't arrived, and I don't know how the vendor performs. But if anybody else is interested the vendor is anniestore2010 on eBay.